Florida Activists "Reclaim the Dream"

Florida volunteers watch their numbers and spirits soar while tabling at the Martin Luther King "Reclaim the Dream" event in Liberty City, Miami, Florida.

From Beth Lefevre
Boca Raton, Florida Team Leader

We started out early on Friday, April 4, 2008, the 40 year anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death. We were anticipating extra traffic and closed streets. We had been looking forward to this event for a while now...knowing our presence made a difference. Noreen, Michael and I cruised right through all the traffic and got there two hours early. We met with Ana and started setting up "our spot" which was very visible and centrally located. In no time Michelle showed up and the team worked tirelessly and excitedly to get ready for the crowds.

As people started arriving, we all felt the excitement sharing this incredible dream with everyone who passed by. Our energy was so contagious that they came walking over to see "what IS this?" People were excited and deeply moved when they found out what we were about. Some of them started getting signatures from their neighbors, friends, loved-ones, and teachers. Our small team grew and grew with the neighborhood kids participating fully and joyously. THEY were pulling people to the table so we could explain this incredible bill, HR 808, in more detail. "A Department of Peace," they would repeat. "Really, it's time, it is time," they would add.

So many people hugged us, thanked us, and asked us to keep going...no matter what. "Make it happen," they would say. I was moved to tears quite a few times that evening. Here we were, all different creeds, colors, walks of life, working TOGETHER to make our future better for our generation and the next and the next! Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been proud that evening, for sure. His legacy is alive and well.

From Ana Campos
Florida Co-state Coordinator

Woo hoo! Through team effort, I was interviewed tonight by channel 10 (ABC) at the Martin Luther King event. Our gorgeous Department of Peace tent was filmed. Press photographers took a lot of shots all night. We have our own photos and story to follow. We physically went to all the media and told them they needed to come over. LOL and they did.

I made special “action oriented” packages to request endorsement of the legislation/The Peace Alliance, when we run into dignitaries, musicians, politicians, etc. It is in an envelope addressed to The Peace Alliance. So it's easy for these kind of folks to respond. They just need to read, sign and mail it back to them. Let's hope The Peace Alliance receives at least one yes sent to them.

One of the highlights was when four of us charged towards Mayor Manny Diaz (Miami's Mayor) from different locations when we noticed he was leaving. His car door closed by the time I got to it. So three of our hearts sank. As we stood there bummed and catching our breath, I saw through the passenger side window that he was reading The Peace Alliance brochure and Martin Luther King card and he had our a request for his endorsement and the envelope in his hand. Michelle had seen him and caught him a few seconds sooner! It was so much fun and awesome to see. We gave the same to Bishop Victor Curry (President of the Miami NAACP), two Miami Commissioners, some Grammy winning musicians, and several other VIPs.

What a night. Ron Cole and Marilyn (both from the Colorado & Keys Dept of Peace Campaigns) spent all night with us, having fun and helping out. We have about 700 Co-Sponsor petitions/”constituent postcards" to present to Congressman Kendrick Meek. We spoke to over 1,000 people and every single one supports the bill. No “no's” today. We took pictures with the crowd, signed them up for The Peace Alliance newsletter and ours (including a Miami Commissioner, community leaders and rappers!)

It was the greatest DOP experience so far for me. Everyone had a blast. What a magical, peace loving bunch we are! We had fun all night chasing media and huggin’ on people. Oh my goodness. I also met a volunteer from Hialeah/Miami lakes that is interested in leading that area. Michelle is interested in taking the lead in Lake Worth and West Boca. The Keys Dept. of Peace Campaign is having a "Peace Fest" with a Tibetan lama in June and our Florida Regional Conference should be happening in July. Wow!